TSL Insights: The Orange Update

In our first edition of TSL Insights, Rob Giannone and Danny Riccardi (Twitter: @TheOrangeUpdate) of The Orange Update talks to me about the Flyers performance so far this season and what they need to do for the rest of the season to make a run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Jovan Alford: What do you think of the performances of Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell so far this season?

Orange Update Danny: At the start of the season, Scott Hartnell was going through a major slump, but once he was linked with Claude Giroux, that’s when the real turnaround happened.  Giroux’s dazzling skill as well as his vision on the ice fits a gritty player like Scott Hartnell perfectly. These two All-Stars are key pieces to the Philadelphia Flyers, and they will be the rest of the season.  As our top line, they are looked at to give the team a jump, and the first half they have definitely done that.  Both players are off to the best starts of their careers.

Orange Update Rob: Obviously the most pleasant surprise of the season has been the play of Scott Hartnell. I can’t say enough about a guy who is playing the best he’s played his entire career, all while putting up numbers that are both team and league-leading. Recently, it seems like whatever his stick touches finds the back of the net, and I hope that trend can continue moving down the stretch and into the playoffs.

I think this video embodies “vintage” Hartnell and shows how his calm approach to the game is working wonders for him: http://bit.ly/wKnrCw

 

The main reason for Hartsy’s play is directly related to the rise in stardom for Claude Giroux. We all knew that trading away Richards and Carter in the offseason would mean the Flyers would be leaning on #28 even more this season. His “breakout” year last year gave us an insight to what he could bring to the ice, and he’s emerged as a superstar in the league this season. At the All-Star break, he sits 2^nd in the NHL with 55 points. Having a star like Giroux will help any team’s chances to remain dominant during the regular season and go far in the post season.

 

Jovan Alford: In terms of Jaromir Jagr, how would you rate his performance and did you expect this when the Flyers first signed him?

Orange Update Danny: To be completely honest, when the Flyers announced that they signed him, I was a bit skeptical. Jagr was getting older, and he was coming off a much shorter season in Russia compared to the NHL. The return we’ve gotten from #68 has been absolutely remarkable. His work ethic, and team first attitude is rubbing off in this locker room.  Unfortunately injuries have plagued him, but with 12 goals, 22 assists, 34 points, we are getting a ton out of him. The chemistry that Hartnell, Giroux and Jagr have as a unit, when healthy, will help this team vastly in the standings.

Orange Update Rob: I’d say that Jags has been a pleasant surprise for the Flyers this year. I’d be lying to you if I said I expected him to be this productive when the Flyers brass announced this signing back in the summer. The Flyers have had many “over the hill” experiments over the years (Adam Oates, Alexi Zhitnik, Jim Dowd, etc) that didn’t necessarily pan out. But to see a guy like Jagr, who is continually one of the hardest working players on the team before every game and practice, play the way he has been playing has been plain fun to watch.

I never thought I’d be able to say to my kids that this sure-fire Hall of Famer played for the Flyers, and right now I’m just enjoying the ride. Like Danny said, injuries are a concern heading down the stretch, but the gamble to sign him has certainly paid dividends so far.

 

Jovan Alford: Which Flyers rookie has the potential to be a franchise player or a superstar?

Orange Update Danny: Personally, I feel Sean Couturier has the potential to be a future superstar.  Couturier is a very talented young player that we basically stole out of the draft.  Sean’s hockey sense is equivalent to a veteran.  He brings that sense on the penalty kill, but can also fit on a team’s top two lines.  Although he is very young, he is literally getting better every game.  Read has been exceptional and he will be a huge piece to this team this season, and in the future, but Sean Couturier has the build to be a star.

 

 

Orange Update Rob: With the unbelievable crop of rookies that have found success with the team so far this year, it’s hard to pick just one of them as a potential “face of the franchise” or future superstar. I’d say Sean Couturier, Matt Read, and Brayden Schenn will all be a part of a Stanley Cup winning team in this city. I’m even willing to throw guys like Marc-Andre Bourdon and Erik Gustafsson as potential future stars.

Just think, before we traded away #18 and #17, our window for winning a Cup was closing on us. Enter Couturier who fell in our laps at the #8 overall pick (from the Carter trade), Read (a product of the Flyers unbelievable scouting), and Schenn (the NHL’s top rated prospect from the Richards trade), and you have no drop off in production and guys that are either playing way above their expectations or are just scratching the surface of their potential.

 

Jovan Alford: Out of all the Flyers acquisitions from this past off-season, which player has helped the team the most?

Orange Update Danny: People may be surprised with my answer, but I feel Wayne Simmonds is a much bigger part than people realize.  Jakub Voracek is a solid player who is strong on the puck and has tons of upside.  Brayden Schenn is beginning to find his groove, and we are all excited to see that.  Sean Couturier, the pick from the Carter deal, is a fantastic young payer.  Bryzgalov has the talent, just needs to find his game…somewhere in the humongous big universe.  To me, Simmonds is the glue.  When I think Flyers hockey, I see Wayne Simmonds.  He brings a physical presence along with a scoring touch, and TONS of energy.  He is always the first one on the puck and always plays the body.  Simmonds has 13 goals, 14 assists, and 27 points and is off to a career year.  His net presence as well as his physicality, gives this team the hop they need night in and night out.

Orange Update Rob: Of all the pieces we brought in this offseason (all of which turned out to be quality moves), I can’t help but lean towards Max Talbot as being the one player who has helped the team the most. Danny mentioned everyone else’s talents and how they benefit the team, but I feel that Max brings an element to his game both on and off the ice that is contagious to the rest of his teammates in the locker room.

Talbot’s presence on the ice is obviously felt. He’s a great penalty killer, defensive player, forechecker, and has even found his way to the back of the net this year (12 G, 10A). But his leadership intangibles off the ice have had a great influence on the younger guys and even the veterans, helping make this year’s locker room situation completely different than last year’s problem.

 

I was as taken back as the next fan when the Flyers signed him on July 1^st, but he has turned out to be one of the strongest offseason acquisitions the Flyers have had in years.

 

Jovan Alford: Finally, for the Flyers to win the Atlantic Division and to make a long run in the Stanley Cup playoffs, what needs to happen?

 

Orange Update Danny: Unlike many people, we are strong believers in Ilya Bryzgalov.  Now, we firmly believe that you have to play the hot goalie, plain and simple.  If Bobrovsky is hot, it is his job for the time being.  To me, Bryzgalov is the missing link.  All these years we’ve had experimental goalies who filled a void but always came short.  Goalies are different that regular players, the main reason is their mindset.  Goalies have to feel confident in net, or their game is off. The first half, at times Bryz was confident, but at times he wasn’t.  Being honest, I’ve never seen a goalie so unlucky with goals, that being said, he needs to make his own luck. We know Bryzgalov has the talent, he just needs to find it.  The only way he can find his game, is to play.  The more games a goalie plays, the more confident they are.  Bryzgalov is our goalie for the next 9 years, he will have his ups and downs.  His first half was considered a down, I personally think Bryz will get hot at the right time.

Orange Update Rob: In my mind, two things need to happen down the stretch for the Flyers to make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup.

1) The Flyers need to acquire a net clearing defenseman. They need a guy like a Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, or Luke Schenn that can fill in a top-4 defenseman role. The team is missing the presence of Chris Pronger and acquiring a big defenseman to fill his shoes will only help this team.

 

2) Bryzalov needs to find his groove. Danny covered most of it (above), but if Bryz can play at a high level like he did in Phoenix, the Flyers will go far. We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again, if and when this team wins the Stanley Cup, it will be because of Ilya Bryzgalov.

 

Once again, special thanks goes to Rob Giannone and Danny Riccardi of The Orange Update. Make sure to check out their site for the latest news on the Philadelphia Flyers.